Eternally Bound
by NeonBerry
Summary: Klaus was nothing but a sadistic killer. Until he found her. His life began to change, without him realizing, as he felt what it was like to have a friend, to trust someone. This is their story.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Vampire Diaries.**

**I'm basically in love with Klaus. It's not like a in 'love' love, more like a fascination with this character. He's simply amazing. I'd definitely love to know more about him, his character and how he was like when he was human. I've always wondered, so I made this FanFic specially dedicated to my favourite character on TVD. And who knows, I might just fall in love with him fo realz. **

**Team Klaus! (: **

**(Now that Joseph Morgan's a regular, I'm gonna be glued to the TV every thursday night) (A)**

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><p><strong>~Eternally Bound~ <strong>

Chapter 1

The cool, thick air was suffocating. England had a way of creating the most abominable of weather conditions sometimes, and while it certainly didn't benefit anyone, it almost always successfully displeased the inhabitants with little effort necessary. Opaque clouds of grey, as thick as could be, slowly dragged themselves over the dark blue sky. The whole atmosphere of it was melancholic and despairing.

To add more inconvenience, there was the disadvantage of wandering about, _alone_, as the darkness seeped in, indicating night was approaching.

Through the dense forests that endlessly continued, a single sound could be heard that silently pleaded. To a normal person, it would seem as though a mini tornado was raging through the deep forests, trying to escape. Moving so quickly, it tore off branches and flung stones in the air, leaving a trail of ominous howls behind it.

Only something (that was not quite human) could detect the frantic huffs of breathing, the cries that were suppressed between terrified lips and delicate black tresses that glided through the air, so quickly that it almost looked like ribbons flowing in the wind.

Could it have been possible to run any faster?

Suddenly, the gust of wind faltered, as the object slowed down, immediately halting to a stop. The moon, being the only source of pure light, shined ever so radiantly on the object and the silhouette forming behind it revealed the truth: A girl.

She hastily looked back to see if she was being followed. There was no doubt that she was though, nor was there any way to make out if her follower was near or far. But nevertheless, he'd certainly catch up to her very soon. He was relentless that way, and she was determined to do anything to prevent from being caught. Death would seem heavenly, compared to the nightmarish tortures she would go through if she was captured.

A quick glance at her feet widened her eyes even more. There was blood caked all over from where the branches and stones and whatnot had slit through her delicate skin. Her eyes quickly scanned her hands and the situation was the same. The blood had dried though, as the wounds had healed as quickly as they had been formed.

She sighed miserably as she lifted her hands to caress her face. What had she done to be treated in this way? Death seemed more appealing and merciful, compared to her horrific fate. It terrified her, of what would happen if she were to fall back into his hands. Unimaginable things. Her fate would be sealed.

Despite the urgency, she decided to stand for a few seconds, inhaling the thick scent of wood and earth around her. Her eyes closed briefly, as her train of thought wandered to the day that had changed her life. The events played in her mind, like a tragic horror movie, and she bit her lip to keep herself from making any sound.

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><p><em>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Some weeks before (1052 A.D.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<em>

"_Mother! MOTHER! Vivienne stole my necklace again!"_

"_No I haven't! It's complete rubbish! I haven't touched the damn thing!"_

"_She's LYING!"_

"_No, SHE'S lying!"_

"_Enough!"_

_Both girls angrily exchanged looks as their mother trotted over to them with a rather annoyed expression. _

"_Vivienne, I've had enough of this bickering over a little necklace!" Their mother eyed Vivienne suspiciously with a tinge of exhaustion. "If you have taken the necklace, just give it to your sister."_

"_But, I haven't got it!" whined Vivienne. Her face was completely serious, and one wouldn't expect her to be guilty. That is, if you were someone else. Only her mother and sister could read the lie carefully woven onto a completely void expression. She was good at it. _

"_Yes you do, you LIAR! Hand it over, and I'll _try _not to hurt you." _

"_Seraphina, is that any way to talk to your younger sister?" The mother glared at her daughter for making a threat, and instead of apologizing, Seraphina looked hard into her sister's eyes._

"_Look, just give it already. I've told you countless times that father brought it for ME. Not you. ME. He gave you your own, so why do you keep stealing mine!" _

"_Because yours is prettier! I hate mine! He ALWAYS gives you the better things! It's not fair! I want it, please?" Vivienne looked knowingly into her sister's eyes and Seraphina could do nothing but sigh heavily. _

"_I need it right now. I want to wear it for our guests this evening. You can have it later, but promise that you won't take it without asking me first."_

"_I promise."_

"_Then it's settled", concluded their mother, shedding a huge sigh of relief. Vivienne jumped excitedly like a cute puppy, squealing with delight. She ran over to hug her sister, or more like tackle her._

"_Ah ah ah", Seraphina raised her hand cautioning her younger sister to stop (and almost trip onto her). "I've simply agreed to let you have MY necklace after I use it. No need to physically thank me. Verbally is fine actually." She rolled her eyes as Vivienne thanked her in the most kind of ways. _

_As soon as the little girl had left, Seraphina turned to her mother, who was relieved that the disagreements were finally over. "Did you see that? She's become so clever, the little sprout. One little thing goes wrong, and she's a monster. But when she gets what she wants, she suddenly becomes as sweet as an angel." _

_Her mother smiled warmly at her eldest daughter. "She is but a child, my dear. You are the eldest though. You must set an example, rather than become a child yourself", her mother chuckled sweetly. _

_"It is only the truth. For you are a child no longer." It was true. Seraphina stood a bit taller than her mother, looking at her with eyes that were filled with nostalgia and bitterness. Who knew being eighteen years old would be such a disgrace?_

_Her mother's look was the same. She caressed her daughter's beautiful face._

_"My dearest Seraphina. We must get ready for our guests, hm?" Seraphina nodded obediently. And although she was completely bitter from inside after what had happened, she knew well to fixate a look filled with kindness and welcoming. _

_After all, these so called 'guests' would definitely notice her, and she didn't want to look like she'd just come out of a fight. _

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><p><em>Their home was a beautiful medium-sized cottage made of strong wood and stone. It was located just outside the dense forest, and had a trail that extended out onto the main road, which then led straight to the small town of Heynedera. <em>

_Noises of hooves clattering and people chatting were faintly heard, which was exactly the reason why Aria, the mother, had chosen to live there. It was peaceful and serene. __The area behind the cottage, which was clear of any trees, was where Seraphina's father kept the sheep. A circular fence surrounded the animals to sustain them, occasionally opened only by their father. _

_The cottage itself was quite big from the inside. Seraphina, much to her chagrin, shared her room with Vivienne, while her other sister Cassandra and her younger brother Callum shared one together. There was a gathering room, where the guests would be seated. There was the kitchen, Callum's favourite place. _

_Then there was the quiet study where Aria, her mother, would practice her spells. _

_Seraphina never quite understood the importance of her mother being a witch. Her father didn't seem to mind, her siblings hadn't the faintest idea of it, which left only her to contemplate what to make of being part witch herself. It certainly wasn't flattering news when her mother had informed her, but she had decided to want nothing to do with it despite her mother's disapproval._

_Being the eldest, it was expected of her to be obedient and make a proper example for her other siblings. Yet she entered her warm room, trying not to think of effective ways to get back at her impudent sister. It was difficult being the eldest. Sometimes she wished she had no siblings, or that she would be younger than all of them. Vivienne, the youngest, certainly seemed to enjoy herself, committing crimes and still getting away with it._

Little imbecile, _she muttered, sitting down. _

_She undid her hair from a bun, letting the luxurious tresses fall ever so delicately, covering her upper body. Her hair was of the darkest of black, completely straight and smooth like the skin of an olive. _

_Her eyes were equally black, which had surprised her mother. The rest of the siblings had light brown or brown hair, with dark brown eyes. Hers were completely black. _Darker than night_, her mother had commented once. _It was easy to get lost in them_, she had joked. _

_Seraphina put on her blue full-sleeved dress, which hugged her curves innocently and made her look even more beautiful than she was. Her rosy lips pressed against each other as she hummed quietly. _

_Unlike the others, her skin was a bit fairer although a bit tan. It was a beautiful light coffee complexion, together with her straight black hair hanging loosely; she looked like a goddess of innocence and purity._

_That all had changed when Cassandra's piercing scream made her jump with fear. Her heart began to beat wildly as she shivered whilst breaking into a run to see what had caused the pandemonium. _

_She followed the cries of help and upon entering the gathering room, what she saw made her consider a thousand times to run back, run away. There was her sister, lying lifelessly on the floor with blood splattered all over her pure white dress. Her neck was ripped apart with bite marks only a raging psychotic animal could have made. _

_Seraphina choked, unable to move or make a sound, as it dawned upon her; her sister was dead. "No", she gasped, barely getting the word out as she stumbled across the room to Cassandra's body._

"_No! NO!" Seraphina let out a cry of horror as she tried to get a hold of her sister's body. She lifted Cassandra into her lap and unsuccessfully tried to resuscitate her. _

_It was too late._

"_Cassandra! No, please...please this can't be…", her voice shook with horror and pain upon the realization that her sister was truly dead. Her lifeless body lay in Seraphina's lap, while the elder sister cried her heart out, unable to speak or breathe properly as she hugged the corpse. Hot tears trickled down her cheek as she clutched onto her sister's body, unable to believe that she was gone._

_Letting her go, it was then that Seraphina noticed properly. Her eyes. Her sister's eyes. They were terror-stricken. The brown eyes stared back at her lifelessly as the horror in them was enough to convince Seraphina that the cause of death was still lurking by. _

_Her body froze solid as chills climbed down her spine when she finally heard a creaking sound. She immediately turned around and gasped wildly, only to see her mother who was also covered in blood, trying to crawl towards her daughter. "Moth-er? Wha- what happened?" Aria stayed silent whilst approaching Seraphina, who tried to support her. _

_Suddenly, her mother grabbed her head with both hands and began chanting furiously. Seraphina screamed as Aria's grip tightened, sending impulses to her brain. The pain intensified, and her mother let go at the last moment. "Wha- what did you do?", she asked holding her head with both hands._

"_Shh, my love." Aria hushed her child as her last breaths came out in a huff. Seraphina watched with horror as her mother collapsed right after warning her with pleading eyes filled with fright. "It won't stop. Run, my dear. Promise me you'll run."_

"_Mother!", she cried out. But Aria was already gone. Seraphina barely stood up to look down at her mother's body. Her breathing intensified and tears poured out endlessly. What could she do? What was happening? Once again, her body became rigid and frozen as she realized a figure standing behind. The silhouette wasn't quite clear, but she could make out a person. _

_She braced herself as she slowly turned around, heart beating so fast that probably the whole town could hear it from where she was standing. _

_There, standing in front of her was the murderer. He looked completely human, except that he had long sharp fangs to replace his teeth. His eyes were blood red with black veins clearly visible on skin. His hair was dark, and he stood taller than her with a muscular body. _

_He stared directly at her. Unable to comprehend, it seemed at first. But then he began to walk menacingly towards her, his eyes never leaving hers. Seraphina found herself flabbergasted. _Vampire. He was a vampire._ Her body trembled and shivered with fear as he approached, a slight smile formed on his bloody lips. _

_The air was silent, making Seraphina realize that she was the only one who was alive. He had killed them. Her whole family. She shook uncontrollably with tears silently escaping her eyes as he walked up to her, eyes like a demon. _

_His ice cold hands caressed her face gently as he lifted her chin up to meet his eyes. He hummed whilst tracing her chin with his ring finger. Seraphina found herself staring back at him with pure fear, instead of closing her eyes. He smirked at her evilly. She waited, what seemed to be forever for him to drain her dry. _

_Instead he licked his fangs ravenously and spoke with a voice that sent more shivers down her spine than anything before. "You", he breathed, "you're coming with me." Seraphina watched as his fangs retracted and his eyes turned to a normal dark brown color. _

_Before she knew it, a wave of darkness enveloped her as she descended further and further into the abyss._

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ End of flashback ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

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><p>Seraphina shot her eyes open and looked around with fear. She was alone. But not for long. Durandus would soon be catching up to her<p>

He was a vampire after all, a powerful one; he'd waste no time in trying to find her. She was his slave. His slave for torture, pleasure, abuse and anything else that came to his mind. She shook her head, hugging herself as the cold, unpleasantly breeze swept against her body. Taking a deep breath, she set out to run again.

The air fell against her face with full force as she ran faster than she ever had.

The gust of wind following her caused leaves, rocks and dirt to fly into the sky. Frantically she searched for a clearing. Or a sound. Any sound, that she could run towards. Perhaps it'd be someone who could help her, protect her possibly? But was that even possible? She was aware of what Durandus was exactly. He'd mentioned that he was an original vampire, one of the oldest vampires in the world.

Therefore, stronger and faster in every way. He'd taken her forcefully, turned her into a vampire against her will and spent the rest of his time sadistically torturing her.

The indescribable, miserable few weeks she'd spent being his prisoner, he'd delightfully explained that there were eight other originals besides him. All were members of his family, two obviously being his parents. She'd seen some paintings of them, whilst snooping in his room. Of course, he had found out. That night had probably been her worst night of all.

How she'd been able to escape from his prison, she had no clue. All she knew was that he'd be full of rage by now. There was no way she would allow herself to be caught. And if she was, heaven forbid, she'd never make it out alive without limping and weeping with pain.

Her eyes squinted as she ran like a madman through the forest night. Halting again to a complete stop, she heard something that made her heart cry out in relief. Sounds! Sounds of people talking! From what she heard, it was just a few, but nonetheless it gave her immense hope. Hope. She'd lost any chance of it since the last few weeks.

Stumbling happily, unable to express her sudden relief, she ran towards the voices. Sure enough, she came to a small clearing where a few cottages were lined together and shadows of people conversing could be seen.

She frantically cried out with frustration. They were human. At least, they _seemed_ human. What good could they do? They'd only get themselves killed if they agreed to help her. She was doomed.

She approached to the side of one cabin and peered out to look at them. There were three men. Two seemed like soldiers, or whatever they were, they surely weren't commoners. Both held guns to their sides and wore large brown boots.

The third man stood tall and his long, wavy dark blond hair was just above his shoulders. His back was towards her, so she couldn't make out his face. Seraphina bit her lip as she made sure she was hidden behind the cottage as she watched the three men, deciding whether or not to ask for help.

They stood there, talking. She was sure that they'd end their conversation soon, so she hesitantly decided which was better; let them leave without asking for help? What would she do then? Continue running? No, he'd surely find her. Then would she ask for help? Would they help her?

She let out a defeated sigh. Her hands trembled as she kept them wrapped around her body. Her hair was a complete mess, as was her face. She was aware that she looked like an attacked victim or a rape victim. Her lips felt dry and dusty, while her body trembled towards the ground and she complied, unable to keep her balance.

Blood. She needed blood. All that running had worn her out. To her horror, she felt a strong lust strike her as she smelt the scent of the talking humans. The soldiers seemed delicious, but the blond man wasn't as appetizing.

To her confusion, he didn't smell alluring at all. She shook her head with disgust. How could she think of draining people? Inhaling their scent?

Just before she realized, the men parted, saying their goodbyes. She frantically hid behind the cottage as the soldiers headed off towards the direction opposite to hers, while the blond man got onto his horse and began coming towards her.

His face wasn't clear. And it was only when he came a little closer that she realized, with pure shock and terror as she traced the edges of his familiar face with her eyes;

_Niklaus._

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><p><strong>AHA! There he is! I was waiting impatiently for Klaus to come, TA-DA!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**So here's the second chapter.**

**It's kinda shorter than the previous one, but I think the hardest part was shaping Klaus' character. His personality when he first meets you and when he gets to know you are two completely different things. I've tried to make it as believable as possible. Reviews would be a great help to point out the flaws. It's definitely not flawless (:**

**Songs I listened to:**

**Celine Dion – Rain, Tax (It's Inevitable)**

**Natasha Bedingfield – I Bruise Easily (If you listen to this song while reading the last part of this chapter, it'll seem more beautiful than it already is, TRUST ME!) :)**

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><p><strong>~Eternally Bound~<strong>

_Previously:_

_Instead he licked his fangs ravenously and spoke with a voice that sent more shivers down her spine than anything before. "You", he breathed, "you're coming with me." Seraphina watched as his fangs retracted and his eyes turned to a normal dark brown color. Before she knew it, a wave of darkness enveloped her as she descended further and further into the abyss._

_Her eyes squinted as she ran like a madman through the forest night. Halting again to a complete stop, she heard something that made her heart cry out in relief. Sounds! Sounds of people talking! From what she heard, it was just a few, but nonetheless it gave her immense hope. Hope. She'd lost any chance of it since the last few weeks. _

_They stood there, talking. She was sure that they'd end their conversation soon, so she hesitantly decided which was better; let them leave without asking for help? What would she do then? Continue running? No, he'd surely find her. Then would she ask for help? Would they help her? _

_Just before she realized, the men parted, saying their goodbyes. She frantically hid behind the cottage as the soldiers headed off towards the direction opposite to hers, while the blond man got onto his horse and began coming towards her._

_His face wasn't clear. And it was only when he came a little closer that she realized, with pure shock and terror as she traced the edges of his familiar face with her eyes;_

_Niklaus. _

XXXXX

Chapter 2

Trying not to get noticed, she suppressed her breathing while watching Niklaus slowly gallop towards her on his black stallion.

_Niklaus._

He was one of the Originals. Durandus had mentioned him being the most feared and hated of them all. Seraphina swallowed her overcoming fear. Why did it have to be so damn difficult for her? She was desperately running from one evil vampire, only to run into another one. And he was somehow worse than Durandus himself.

She silently wept from the inside as it dawned upon her that this was the ultimate chance for freedom. Torn between asking for help and staying hidden, her mind numbed itself. She wasn't sure of _what_ to do. If only she could be certain that he'd help her, she'd wipe away her tears of frustration and helplessness.

He was nearer to her now, his horse steadily pacing forward. Seraphina opted to remain unnoticed, still trying to figure out how she'd convince him to help her without getting into even bigger trouble than she already was. Thankfully, she was a vampire, although a very young one. Had she been human, he would have easily smelt the delicious scent of her human blood, caked and dried all over her feet, hands and face.

She wondered for a moment if he would've simply drained her dry.

As she observed him safely from behind the cottage, her heart prayed with all its might. Somehow, this vampire seemed calmer and firmly composed, unlike the cruel psychopathic murderer who had kept her prisoner. He passed by her, tranquility in his paces.

She watched him go from behind, unknowingly placing her hands on a rather loose piece of wood sticking out in front of her. Before she could stop from creating any noise, the wood wobbled out of place, crashing onto the ground with a huge thud. Seraphina found herself laying upon the object and silently letting out a string of curses as she was sure that he'd noticed her now.

Looking up, her suspicion was confirmed. The lovely black stallion was standing on the side of the dirt road, with its rider missing. Now she was truly scared to death. She felt her heart race as she quickly got up and made her way towards the creature. The dark sky hummed ominously and she frantically looked for him.

Making her way to the lonely horse, she stopped dead in her tracks. There was something behind her. She felt it. Her entire body shuddered with fear as she turned around halfway, then quickly looked behind her. Nothing but faint mist and wooden cottages surrounded by thick forest.

Seraphina breathed steadily, shrewdly gazing at her surroundings. Not a sign of life. No one.

Just then, the stallion stirred from behind, causing her to twirl around faster than ever and nearly fainting with fear with the sight she met.

There he was.

Standing tall and glorious, Niklaus was staring intently at her, something like confusion and surprise flashing in his piercing blue-green eyes. He cocked his head to one side, not breaking eye contact.

Seraphina felt her body abandoning her, as she was barely able to stand straight. He was _so_ close to her. One small step forward and their chests would meet.

She looked up at him, words escaping her as the handsome face stared back at her. For an explanation? He didn't say anything for a few minutes, clearly confused and curious. No doubt, he'd noticed her torn and dirty dress, the cuts on her body and her disordered hair.

But his eyes seemed to surpass her chaotic appearance and focused on something else instead. Towering over her, he looked at her with such intrigue, like he couldn't believe she was standing in front of him.

She found the word escaping from her mouth before she could stop it. "Niklaus", she breathed slowly. She'd seen a painting of him in Durandus' collection. His blond hair was longer, reaching to his shoulders and wavy from the bottom. His fair complexion was stern yet beautiful. She felt his eyes pierce through her soul, truly intrigued yet terrified of it at the same time.

He seemed to sense her fear. She felt her heart pound as she watched his mouth slowly open, clearly to question her.

"…Yes?" His eyes twinkled questionably, still gazing at her like he was lost. There was a hint of amusement she detected in his soft, velvety voice.

Lost for words, she blurted out with haste, with her voice shaking uncontrollably, "I, I...I need you, you-r help, please, _please,_ he won't sto-".

She found herself unable to continue. All the fear and helplessness she had gone out of her way to keep hidden inside of her was suddenly pouring out. She crouched down hugging herself protectively, knees resting on the ground. Her breathing increased rapidly as she felt hot tears trail down her cheeks.

Her mind blurred with pain, as she heard herself cry. Clenching her teeth and violently grabbing her hair with both hands, she leaned towards the ground and breathed uncontrollably, trying to suppress cries that escaped out.

The man in front of her kneeled down to her level and reached out to softly stroke her tear-stained cheek. She looked up at him with eyes that pleaded as they held pure fear.

He looked back at her with curious eyes. Not saying anything, he gently grasped both her arms and effortlessly lifted her up. His hand grazed over her cheeks and he silently wiped away the tears with his thumb. A soft, mesmerizing voice questioned her. "Tell me dear, who won't stop?"

"He'll kill me", she whispered fearfully, "please, _please..._he won't stop until he has me." Tears began to pour out again, soaking her cheeks and trailing down onto her neck, reaching the hem of her neckline. "You have to _h-help_ me", her voice quivered.

"Who'll kill you?", he slowly asked. His thumb softly grazed over her left cheek, wiping away the endless tears.

"Dura- Durandus."

Upon hearing that name, his eyes sternly fixed upon hers. He studied her, unable to comprehend perhaps? Or something like fascination? She didn't know. She simply looked back at him weakly. Her mind was beginning to go numb and she wasn't sure if she could speak anymore.

Breaking his gaze from hers, the blue-green eyes travelled to something behind her and immediately narrowed, something like hatred and disgust burning in them. His hand travelled to her back, swiftly pushing her behind him. Turning around, Seraphina saw what held his attention.

There stood Durandus, beside the cabin. He was a couple of feet away from them and his murderous eyes were fixed directly on them. Seraphina felt a rush of uncertainty and terror wash over her as Durandus' eyes settled upon hers.

She moved closer to Niklaus, looking from behind, over his shoulder.

Niklaus stood calmly in front of her. His eyes set on his prey. He reminded Seraphina of a proud, exultant stallion. But it was obvious that he wasn't any less terrifying or cruel than Durandus.

She'd heard so much about him and his ways. She knew that he was very powerful, probably the most powerful of all the originals. A tingling sensation aroused within her, as she carefully read the fierce expression on his face. He was definitely someone she didn't want to get on bad terms with. Every little action of his that followed clearly seemed to justify that.

His calm nature was visibly shedding away, as he cocked his head and shot a sociopathic glare at Durandus. He was truly terrifying. There was something about him, something more. There was a devious look in his blue-green eyes that made her uneasy.

Durandus was a psychotic killer, no doubt, but Niklaus' calm, charismatic behaviour somehow frightened her more. What held her so close to him, standing behind him and blocking his shadow, was that he seemed the better option. And to her utter surprise, despite everything, she felt safe with him.

There was no way she'd go back to Durandus. He was a monster, even worse.

Cocking his head with amusement glinting in his murderous eyes, Durandus stared at them. "Well, it's been long Niklaus." His smirk grew larger as it was clear Niklaus was visibly irritated with his older brother's taunting. They'd never liked each other.

Seraphina stayed glued to the ground, watching Niklaus slowly walk towards his half-brother and come face to face with him. He composed himself, flashing a fake charming smile, "Don't you think it's a little too dark for you to be wandering about?"

"I want the girl", Durandus replied bitterly, ignoring Niklaus' remark. His eyes travelled to Seraphina, who stood further behind.

"My dear brother", Niklaus playfully retorted with a devilish smile.

He suddenly lifted his hand and tightly grasped his brother's jaw yanking his face closer, forcing him to look into those piercing eyes. Durandus yelped with pain, looking at him with uneasy eyes. Clearly, he'd thought he'd win. Seraphina watched his posture weaken as she realized that he was uncomfortable. Scared? She gulped, watching the two men carefully.

Durandus managed to steady himself and glared at his brother. "Hand her over. She belongs to me."

"Hmmm, I don't think so."

"I do believe I've made myself clear. Comply obediently, Niklaus." His eyes changed into a mocking glare, "But I suppose we all know you're too stubborn to do what you're told."

Niklaus stared directly at his brother, with an evil smirk. "You know me well." With that, the two vampires hissed at each other, no doubt a final warning.

Durandus' fangs lengthened and he clenched his hands into fists, as he growled at Niklaus. Unimpressed, his brother stared directly at him with a psychotic glare. Seraphina stepped back as she prepared for them to fight.

Durandus lunged forward onto Niklaus, grabbing him and thrusting him onto the ground. Niklaus growled menacingly, as he swiftly move on top of his brother, planting deathly fists onto his face and chest. Eyes blazing with that murderous rage, Durandus pushed him off violently and made a dash towards some pieces of wood lying on the ground.

"NO!", Seraphina found herself shouting. Typical Durandus, he was cunning that way.

But Niklaus wasted no time in getting up effortlessly and running towards his brother who held a piece of wood in one hand. Durandus hastily ran forward, towards Niklaus, underestimating his brother entirely. Instead, Niklaus forcefully slammed into him, pinning him onto the side wall of the cabin Seraphina had hidden behind.

Durandus, aware of his stupid move, struggled helplessly as Niklaus kicked him hard in the gut with his knee. He gasped with pain, as the wood fell from his hand. Seraphina found herself looking at him with no pity. He'd caused her so much pain and for what reason? Nothing.

Niklaus picked up the piece of wood, dangling it in one hand while his other hand tightly gripping onto his brother's neck. He looked into Durandus' eyes with mock pity. "I really do hope you've learned your lesson," leaning in closer and purring softly in his brother's ears, "Such a pity it will be if you still haven't."

With that, he shoved the piece of wood through his brother's heart, watching him slowly desiccate into a grey, lifeless color. It was a grotesque sight, and it made Seraphina feel sick from inside. Slightly smirking, Niklaus backed away and began walking towards Seraphina, leaving his brother pined onto the wall.

He glanced at her when approaching near, reaching forward behind her to clasp the reins of his stallion and then bringing the horse closer to her. Seraphina's eyes remained fixed on Durandus' lifeless body, unaware of how intently the original vampire standing behind her was watching her.

"Is- is he?..." She found her voice lost, barely finding the strength to speak up.

"Dead?" he finished for her. "Yes. For now." He fixed the saddle on his horse and then turned to her, "He can't harm you now", he stated bluntly. She wasn't sure though, wasn't an original immune to permanent death?

Seraphina hesitantly broke her gaze from the dead Durandus and met Niklaus' empty eyes. They seemed void, of emotion, of anything. Yet they stared back at her, tearing into her soul. She found it unnerving and looked down at the ground instead. "Thank you", she whispered softly.

_(Now a good time to listen to the song I mentioned!_ **I Bruise Easily**_)_

She felt his presence getting nearer and nearer, and when she looked up at him, he took a second to gaze at her once again, his devious eyes raking her black soulful ones. Yet they seemed to acknowledge her 'thank you'. "Come", he said simply and politely, extending his hand out to her and gesturing her to move forward.

She felt reluctant to leave with him. He seemed to read her thoughts, because then he sighed whilst taking one step closer to her. "He won't harm you now", he repeated, those blue-green eyes looking right at her. "But he shall wake up soon enough."

Seraphina brushed back her hair from her face and carefully scrutinized his face. He was handsome, no doubt. His face held no emotion whatsoever, like he wasn't affected by anything at all. Seraphina thought twice about whether or not to go with him. Truthfully, she couldn't go home, because she had no home. And she wouldn't on any circumstance stay here. Just a several feet away. From that psychopathic killing idiot.

She summoned all her strength and met Niklaus' eyes. "Will I be safe with you?"

He cocked his head and gazed at her with his twinkling eyes. His cherry lips rose from one side, turning into a half smile. Nonetheless, perfect in every way.

"Yes."

"You won't hurt or kill me?"

"No."

"Can I trust you?"

It was then that he lifted his hand, stroking her cheek with fondness. She slightly twitched at the contact, looking down at his hand then up at him. For a long moment, he simply looked at her, not speaking at all. It seemed he was trying to find the words to speak and just as she found herself getting lost in his stare, his raspy voice made her jump.

"My dear, it wouldn't be ludicrous to trust someone who saved your life." His eyes sparkled with amusement, eager to see her reaction.

"Can I trust you?"

"Yes you can."

His eyes looked through her soul one more time, before nodding slightly and turning around.

With that, he climbed onto his stallion and seated himself a little further, towards the end of the saddle. Extending his hand out once more, he looked at her with those emotionless eyes. She hesitantly placed her small hand, trembling with weakness, into his larger and faintly warmer one as he lifted her up gently and easily.

She sat in front of him, her little body resting against his firm, masculine chest. She felt his cool, steady breathing on her forehead, as she adjusted herself. Her body ached with pain. Lifting her hands, the scratches on her delicate hands disturbed her. It was like they would never disappear. A single tear escaped from her left eye.

_I'm learning to fall, with no safety mat to cushion the blow,_

_I bruise easily, so be gentle when you handle me_

_There's a mark you leave, like a love heart carved on a tree_

_I bruise easily, can't scratch the surface without moving me_

_Underneath, I bruise easily. _

_I bruise easily, so be gentle when you handle me_

_There's a mark you leave, like a love heart carved on a tree_

_I bruise easily, can't scratch the surface without moving me_

_Underneath, I bruise easily._

They would remain there forever because they had been formed before she had been turned. Turned. He'd turned her. Now she was a monster too. Something in her chest stung sharply, but she could barely lift her hand to ease the pain. She was truly exhausted. It was difficult keeping her eyes open as she once more looked back, past his arms that encircled her as he held onto the reins and over his shoulder, to make sure she wasn't dreaming. The dead original hung loosely against the wall of the cottage. His face hung low and still.

_So be gentle._

He must've noticed her long, unsure stare, because he gently stroked her hair and whispered in her ear, "No need to be afraid," his gentle, melodic voice soothed her; "you're safe, my dear."

Those were the last words she heard as the stallion began moving, and then started galloping at a high speed. Holding on tightly to her supposed savior, she leaned her back into his protective chest and rested her head in the crook of his neck. Closing her eyes, Seraphina silently succumbed to a deep slumber, unaware of where she was going or what lay in store for her ahead.

* * *

><p>...<p>

**Dammit, I'm falling in love with him. -_-**

***sighs***

**Tell me if you guys did too. I know I officially have.**

**:D**

**So I know it's a little too softie-ish on Klaus' part (maybe, but I feel it's just right), I'm fully aware of that and you'll soon find out why he's acted that way with her. One thing you gotta remember about this guy is that he always has a strong motive behind everything he does. And he acts real sweet. Like REAL REAL sweet. So sweet that he seems almost like an angel. So don't worry, Evil Klaus is not far away. :-)**

**But I still love him. -_-**

**Reviews, Reviews, Reviews my lovelies! :)**

**I NEED To Know How This Chapter Was! The whole 'first meeting' thing with Seraphina and Niklaus. SO REVIEWS PLZ!**

**Loveyouppl x**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's Chapter 3!**

**And and and, Elijah is in it too! He's gonna be a big part of the story, (obviously) b/c he's awesome! **

**Song I listened to (and you guys should too!) - (Within Temptation - Memories) I don't know, I just thought it really goes with the last part of the chapter.**

**Here's the youtube link: .com/watch?v=u9tL4Mgzjx0&feature=relmfu (b/c the video is just beautiful :3)**

**Let me know what you ppl think, ok? **

**Ok :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Eternally Bound~<strong>

_Previously:_

_She watched him go from behind, unknowingly placing her hands on a rather loose piece of wood sticking out in front of her. Before she could stop from creating any noise, the wood wobbled out of place, crashing onto the ground with a huge thud. Seraphina found herself laying upon the object and silently letting out a string of curses as she was sure that he'd noticed her now. _

_Standing tall and glorious, Niklaus was staring intently at her, something like confusion and surprise flashing in his piercing blue-green eyes. He cocked his head to one side, not breaking eye contact. _

_There stood Durandus, beside the cabin. He was a couple of feet away from them and his murderous eyes were fixed directly on them. Seraphina felt a rush of uncertainty and terror wash over her as Durandus' eyes settled upon hers. _

_With that, he shoved the piece of wood through his brother's heart, watching him slowly desiccate into a grey, lifeless color. Slightly smirking, Niklaus backed away and began walking towards Seraphina, leaving his brother pined onto the wall. _

_He must've noticed her long, unsure stare, because he gently stroked her hair and whispered in her ear, "No need to be afraid," his gentle, melodic voice soothed her; "you're safe, my dear."_

_Those were the last words she heard as the stallion began moving, and then started galloping at a high speed. Holding on tightly to her supposed savior, she leaned her back into his protective chest and rested her head in the crook of his neck. Closing her eyes, Seraphina silently succumbed to a deep slumber, unaware of where she was going or what lay in store for her ahead. _

XXXXX

Chapter 3

_The night was dark and ominous as she found herself once again trapped in a dense forest. Only this time she wasn't running. The cool wind brushed against her fragile body, carrying familiar voices with it. Voices she'd been dying to hear. The wind swept past her in different directions, a familiar voice lingering within it. "Seraphina", it whispered. She turned towards the source of the voice and was greeted with trees enveloped in thick, black mist. "Seraphina". The whispers continued, drifting about her and stretching her name elegantly. She tried to listen carefully, frantically jerking her head in countless directions to detect the source._

"_Seraphina", it called gently._

_She nervously turned her attention to the thick bushes that sinisterly swayed in the cool, midnight wind. Within feet from her a pale figure stood, staring back at her, its eyes missing from its sockets and its long brown hair reaching to its hips. _

_She gulped with horror. "Mother", she gasped, trembling whilst the word barely made it out of her mouth. The figure emotionlessly smiled back at her, staring directly into her eyes. _

_From the corner of her eye, she felt more pale figures approaching her from every angle. Turning her head slowly with fear, she faced an emotionless Cassandra, her eyes also missing from their sockets. Cassandra simply looked back at her with a lifeless expression._

_She suddenly felt her whole family in front of her, nearly encircling her. Her eyes widened with terror and despair. All had missing eyes, pale white skin and wore white clothing, indicating they were dead. Every single member stared directly at her; there was nowhere to escape their lifeless looks. _

_Barely able to keep her balance, she made a run for the opposite direction. Turning her head back, she saw that they stood where they were, not even flinching. Her attempt was futile though, as she ran into something firm and solid. The blackness around her prevented her from being able to see what she had bumped into. _

_Adjusting her eyes to the darkness, she saw two sources of light. They came closer and closer, eventually adjoining. Eyes, she realized. A slow, deadly growl escaped as the bright yellow eyes focused upon her and suddenly lunged at her, drowning her screams with its menacing growls._

"_NO!"_

Seraphina woke up, sweaty and gasping for breath, clenching the silk sheets around her as tightly as possible. As she shook off whatever was left of the nightmare, it slowly dawned upon her that she was in an unfamiliar room. Her mind blurred with confusion as she let the events of the previous night sink in; she had run into Niklaus, who'd in turn killed Durandus and taken her with him.

Gently rubbing her eyes, she glanced around the room she was in. The floor was of a dark brown colour, as was the large wooden door that led out of her room. Light brown coloured pieces of furniture were thoughtfully placed here and there. The walls were covered with delicate red tapestry, while the edges of the walls were trimmed with gold and red. To her left, there were two large windows, joined together, with dark red curtains hanging on each side. Faint light poured in from the few candles that were scattered around the room, enclosed in dainty glassware. The bed itself was huge and comfortable, with soft white sheets and equally soft pillows.

The whole atmosphere of it was enchanting.

As she slowly got out of the bed, her eyes travelled to her body. She hadn't been changed out of her torn clothes, but the dried blood had been wiped off her face, hands and feet. Her hair, once being a mess, had been brushed properly and tied up simply.

A slight knock on the door awakened her from her thoughts. She braced herself, quickly fixing her face to make it devoid of any pain or sadness.

"Come in", she called softly, earning a grunt from the other side as the door opened and revealed a middle-aged woman. She fixed a basket on her hip and her tired expression made it clear that she was exhausted. "My apologies Madame, if I have disturbed you." Her voice was unsure and slightly jumpy, but Seraphina simply smiled at her warmly.

"No worries. Come, what brings you here?"

"The Master wanted to make sure you were awake and sent me to provide some necessities", she replied politely, handing her a few dresses made of soft velvet and a few handkerchiefs, whilst placing some sandals on the floor. Seraphina stared at the clothing, not sure of what to say. "Oh-h", she stammered, "thank you."

Just as the maid got up, Seraphina lightly patted her arm. The woman turned towards her questionably. "Is there anything to eat?"

The maid looked at her for a moment before robotically folding her sleeves up to reveal a left arm filled with bite marks. Seraphina's eyes widened as she examined the strange marks on the inside of her left wrist, immediately taking a long, deep breath. She was more than just a maid.

"No, I-I'm fine. It's alright." She nearly choked on her own voice, but the women in front of her seemed to notice nothing.

Nodding slightly, the maid turned towards another brown wooden door behind the bed, pushing it open to reveal the bathroom. "You may clean up here", she called behind her.

Seraphina stayed quiet until she returned and was handed a couple of pieces of cloth to dry herself with. Pointing to the bathroom, the maid asked Seraphina, "Would you like any help?"

"No, thank you, I'm fine."

The maid nodded curtly and quietly left the room, closing the door behind her. Seraphina stared at the wooden door that had just been closed. Her eyes traced the intricate engravings on it, clearly absorbed. She snapped out of her trance and sighed, making her way towards the bathroom, clutching the drying cloths in hand.

XXXXX

Downstairs, the single enormous library of the mansion was faintly lit, with shelves of dusty books ascending high and almost reaching the ceiling.

Niklaus sat comfortably on his favourite throne-like armchair, going through various different scrolls that lay spread out on the table in front of him. His eyes scanned each piece of work to the next, picking out anything important along the way. It seemed endless, as he picked up one piece of text after another, quickly getting bored of reading them over and over again.

Growling impatiently, he lightly slammed the text in hand on the table. He leaned back in his chair, resting his arms on both armrests and tilting his head up, closing his eyes.

He wondered how Elijah would react to bringing the girl home; it was difficult contemplating whether or not to tell him. Of course, either way, his brother would eventually find out and he wasn't one to go against his wishes. Elijah could never say 'no' to him. Even though it bothered him at first, he'd gradually accept it.

His thoughts travelled to the girl, whose name he still didn't know. She was beautiful, no doubt. He didn't think it was possible, but there she was, standing in front of him like a miracle.

She had nearly begged for his help, from Durandus. _Durandus. _The name immediately sparked disgust in his entire body. It was one of the reasons he'd decided to help the girl, absolutely delighted with the opportunity of killing him.

What irritated him the most though, was that he'd soon resurrect from being stabbed with a wooden stake and carry his repugnant ass around to search for him pathetically. He decided not to tell Elijah about his little meeting with Durandus, which ended with him stabbing the idiot. He would've happily killed Durandus permanently, but that would've upset Elijah greatly.

He'd heard the familiar footstep's before they entered the room. Looking up from what he was doing, he saw his elder brother make his way up to him, every step elegant and precise. Yet unlike himself, there was always something shining in his lovely brown eyes.

"Elijah", he said matter-of-factly. His brother walked up to him, ignoring the placid greeting and placing his hands on the table, leaning towards his younger brother and eyeing the large amount of scrolls messily spread out _everywhere_.

"How many times will you go through those scrolls before they wear out completely?" Gesturing to the table and the floor, which were both covered up with the dusty old works, Elijah bent down and began to clean up the mess his brother had made.

"We have to be precise, brother. It _needs_ to be convincible", Niklaus replied haughtily, reluctantly bending down to help his elder brother with the scrolls.

"And it will be", Elijah replied sternly. He evened out his pile of scrolls before stacking them neatly on an empty shelf. Niklaus did the same. They then sat down, each on their respectable chairs, carefully lost in their own thoughts. For a moment, both brothers were silent, until the maid made her untimely appearance, much to Niklaus' chagrin.

"Master, I've given the Madame everything she needs for now", her voice shook uneasily, "may I depart?" At the mention of "Madame", Elijah questioningly turned to his brother, eyeing him warily. Niklaus didn't bother facing him, and instead looked straight at the fearful woman.

"You may for now", he answered simply. The maid respectably nodded to them both, before turning around to leave. As soon as she had left, Elijah gave him a suspicious look and spoke with pure curiosity with a pinch of dread.

"Might I ask what you've been up to now?" He looked positively annoyed, which only made Niklaus smirk, absolutely amused.

"What, brother?"

"You know what; you have brought a guest from last night? And you somehow managed to _not_ inform me?" He looked at Niklaus' empty expression and was further irritated. "Who is she?" He was absolutely eager to get the answer out of his brother, even though it was possibly unlikely.

"I saved her", Niklaus answered vaguely. He stood up from his chair and walked over to the wooden cabinet that contained cups of fresh blood. Gently grasping one silver plated cup and sipping some of the thick liquid, he made his way over to the large window, gazing outside at nothing in particular.

"What do you mean _saved?_"

Niklaus simply smiled to himself, a slow and devious smile. He looked over to his brother and held out his cup. "Would you like some?" he asked sweetly, smiling charmingly all the way.

Frowning, Elijah stood up to walk over to his brother, who turned his attention to him. "I saved her", he repeated without any emotion, "True damsel in distress she was", then added chuckling; "I simply rescued her from her disastrous plight."

He said "plight" with mock pity, whilst staring back at Elijah, completely amused from his brother's confusion and slight worry.

Elijah mentally examined his brother's words, trying to scrutinize his expression. Was this even possible, he wondered? Why in heaven would Niklaus save a random girl from trouble? This truly couldn't be his brother. He was the one who always stressed him to embrace their nature and accept their predatory instincts. Now suddenly he was supposed to believe that he'd save a human girl simply out of pity for her plight?

"And you brought her _here_? In the mansion filled with vampires?" Elijah scoffed, clearly unimpressed while Niklaus simply remained quiet. Elijah grew more curious.

"She's not human", he replied matter-of-factly. Elijah raised an eyebrow, immediately understanding what that meant. A moment later, Niklaus added, confirming Elijah's suspicion, "She's a vampire."

Elijah was slightly taken aback, nonetheless clueless as to why Niklaus had decided to bring her with him. Folding his arms, Elijah moved closer to his brother, forcing him to look back at him. He asked the obvious question then, knowing fully that his brother's motive must've been quite strong and valid, "What exactly do you plan on doing with her then?"

This time, Niklaus scoffed. Clearly, he hadn't given that idea a thought, though it didn't bother him either. Finishing his cup of blood and placing it on the marble-plated mantelpiece, he replied once again with no emotion, "I don't know_. _Although I'm sure I'll find a use for her."

He turned to face a skeptical Elijah staring back at him with uncertainty, "Don't _worry_, brother," his devilish smile increasing, "You're well aware, I don't let anyone go to waste." With that, he gracefully walked out of the library, leaving Elijah immensely concerned about his brother's true intentions.

XXXXX

Seraphina emerged from the bathroom, completely clean from head to toe. Water dripped from every inch of her frame. Her wet hair stuck against her naked body as she dabbed the clothing against her skin, drying herself effectively. She walked over to the edge of the bed, where one of the dresses was laid out.

It was of the darkest black colour and the detailed designs made it look very royal and expensive. Everything in the room seemed royal and expensive. She absentmindedly rubbed her thumb against the soft fabric, trying to control her deep breaths as they continued to increase in speed. The past couple of weeks had been so slow and torturous; time had seemed to hardly budge.

Looking around the room once again, she shook her head at her strange fate. Where exactly was she? All she could remember was getting on the horse with Niklaus. After that, her mind went blank, having no memory of anything that happened afterwards. Had he brought her here? Where was he then?

So many thoughts raced on her mind. Sitting on the bed with her legs crossed, she began drying her hair. She gently pressed on the long, black strands with a dry cloth, using alternate hands to repeatedly smooth them out. When they became completely dry, the silky black tresses became absolutely straight, lightly brushing against her soft skin and covering her entire upper back.

She walked over and took the dress in hand, carefully putting wearing the necessary undergarments, before slipping the dress on. It fit perfectly, flowing against her body whenever she walked. After putting on the sandals, she began to fix her, tying up half up of it while letting some strands dangle on either side of her face. She then took a hold of her hair and carefully pushed it all on one shoulder, covering up one half of her chest. It looked decent, beautiful.

She took a deep breath before tugging at the curtains, pushing them on either side to look out from the windows. The entrance to the mansion was closed with a huge metal gate. Beyond it, there were two trails; one extending deep into the forests and the other paved through a light slope, which ascended into a main road. It was still very dark and she couldn't see clearly through all the blackness covering over the landscape.

She backed away and reluctantly sat on her bed. Pausing for a moment, she decided to leave her room.

There was some exploring to do.

Opening her door, she stepped into a very long and narrow hallway, with several doors along the way. Her room was the last, on the corner, right beside the huge wooden staircase. Silently, she descended along the stairs and landed in a medium-sized hall. Glancing around, the library caught her attention as she smiled slightly.

She had always loved to read, learning at a very precocious age. She remembered her mother bringing books for her to read whenever she came from the market. And her father would always gift her with large pieces of papers for drawing and writing. The blissful memories flowed in as she sauntered over to the huge room palely lit with candles.

Her smile unknowingly increased as she rotated in a full circle, her eyes widening at the numerous shelves of books with amazement. She spun around, cautiously holding her dress, whilst staring at the huge shelves that reached the ceiling around her with pure awe.

If only her mother was here, and her father, they'd be amazed. Her mind wandered off to the nightmare. Her chest pained again, like a spear had been slashed into it. She didn't know what hurt the most though; the loss of her family or the fact that her heart no longer beat, that she no longer was supposed to feel anything.

The memories helped ease the pain. She smiled, closing her eyes.

"Of all the places", His sultry voice immediately startled her and she whirled around to face him, her smile slightly fading. "I find you here." He was dressed in a dark blue ensemble with black trousers and boots. Everything about him seemed attractive and his presence was alluring. Niklaus smiled back at her, cocking his head and taking a moment to observe her beautiful frame. She looked, cleaner no doubt, but absolutely mesmerizing.

She was clad in a soft, velvety black dress that extended below her feet, causing her to lift it up to walk properly. The full sleeves slightly tightened around her wrists, while the neckline receded to just the right length, enough to hardly show any cleavage but nonetheless accentuate her chest beautifully. The soft velvet hugged waist perfectly, lightly showing her innocent curves.

Still smiling charmingly, he extended his hand out towards her and she placed her small hand in his larger one. Lightly kissing it, he looked up at her.

"What is your name, dear?"

"Seraphina"

His eyes twinkled upon hearing her name. He hummed along silently, "Hm, Seraphina", pronouncing it strongly like "_Saraphina_".

Seraphina looked back at him calmly before lowering her eyes and staring at the ground. He stepped forward and lifted her chin with his index finger. Seraphina felt uncomfortable as their eyes met. His cold, lifeless gaze didn't change even when he smiled again. It was she then noticed for the first time; he had dimples. Any girl could've easily been swayed away with them, coupled with his charming smile, but she simply looked at him, wondering how long those eyes had stayed lifeless and empty.

His voice spoke, "How do you feel?" She tried to answer, but her voice came out with a raspy squeak. Her throat felt parched, as Seraphina imagined the stickiness of the inside of her muscles. A feeling of dread came over her. She was thirsty. _Very _thirsty. Her mouth ached for the red liquid. Before she could say anything, he made his way to a beautifully carved wooden cabinet that held several silver plated cups and a medium-sized jug. Taking one cup in hand, he poured some of the red liquid from the jug into the cup. Closing the cabinet, he walked over to her, holding the cup in hand.

Without saying anything, she slowly took it from him and momentarily stared at it dubiously, before taking a sip of the blood. Holding the cup tightly in one hand, she pressed her lips in disgust. She didn't want this, she never did.

"I assume the maid wasn't appetizing, hm?" He spoke with amusement in his voice, earning a wave of embarrassment from her part. She could feel her cheeks burn and looked up at him innocently.

"No, I" she took a deep breath, "I didn't want to hurt her."

He stared back at her and she couldn't tell what he was thinking. Before he could reply, another middle-aged woman stood at the entrance of the library. "Master, we need you." He clenched his teeth from reacting and simply nodded to her. Turning his attention back to Seraphina, he lifted one hand to caress her cheek. "I shall be back soon. It is best you don't wander about, unless you're going to your room." He slightly pressed his lips together before turning away to walk out of the room.

She breathed steadily, watching him leave, desperately wanting to divert her attention to something else. As soon as his frame was out of sight, she let out a long, drawn out sigh. It was like she was finally melting from her frozen state. His presence was unnerving, but at the same time she wanted to know more about him. So much more. She wasn't sure why he kept looking at her...in that strange way. It was uncomfortable, but she nonetheless wondered why he was being so attentive to her. Surely it meant something?

Picking out a random book from one of the shelves, Seraphina couldn't help but wonder if she was to stay here for good.

* * *

><p><strong>Hmm, so this chapter kinda went weird for me idk why…<strong>

**BUT…**

**ELIJAH IS HERE! YEAH! **

**I Love Him :D **

**SO, how was this chapter? Good or Bad? **

**Reviews, Reviews, Reviews! It would mean so much to me!**

**;D**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey people!**

**Sorry for the lateness, I was caught up in a LOT of things, mainly swimming and also some reading. Went through hell of a strain to compose this chapter, I had to! I wanted to get everything right so it took longer, but THANKYOU guys SO MUCH for the amazing reviews :')**

**And also: **

**Have you guys seen Comic Con 2011? There are videos on YouTube with the whole thing so enjoy! **

**LOTS of Seraphina/Klaus here, SO...**

**READ, ENJOY AND PLEASE REVIEW! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>~Eternally Bound~<strong>

_Previously:_

_Frowning, Elijah stood up to walk over to his brother, who turned his attention to him. "I saved her", he repeated without any emotion, "True damsel in distress she was", then added chuckling; "I simply rescued her from her disastrous plight." _

_Folding his arms, Elijah moved closer to his brother, forcing him to look back at him. He asked the obvious question then, knowing fully that his brother's motive must've been quite strong and valid, "What exactly do you plan on doing with her then?"_

_He turned to face a skeptical Elijah staring back at him with uncertainty, "Don't worry, brother," his devilish smile increasing, "You're well aware, I don't let anyone go to waste." With that, he gracefully walked out of the library, leaving Elijah immensely concerned about brother's intentions._

_Her smile unknowingly increased as she rotated in a full circle, her eyes widening at the numerous shelves of books with amazement. She spun around, cautiously holding her dress, whilst staring at the huge shelves that reached the ceiling around her with pure awe._

_If only her mother was here, and her father, they'd be amazed. Her mind wandered off to the nightmare. Her chest pained again, like a spear had been slashed into it. She didn't know what hurt the most though; the loss of her family or the fact that her heart no longer beat, that she no longer was supposed to feel anything._

_He stared back at her and she couldn't tell what he was thinking. Before he could reply, another middle-aged woman stood at the entrance of the library. "Master, we need you." He clenched his teeth from reacting and simply nodded to her. Turning his attention back to Seraphina, he lifted one hand to caress her cheek. "I shall be back soon. It is best you don't wander about, unless you're going to your room." He slightly pressed his lips together before turning away to walk out of the room. _

_His presence was unnerving, but at the same time she wanted to know more about him. So much more. She wasn't sure why he kept looking at her...in that strange way. It was uncomfortable, but she nonetheless wondered why he was being so attentive to her. Surely it meant something?_

_Picking out a random book from a shelf, Seraphina couldn't help but wonder if she was to stay here for good._

XXXXX

Chapter 4

She stayed in the library.

Frustratingly taking out book after book, she tried to find something meaningful so she could completely absorb herself into it and forget her surroundings. No title she came across seemed satiable enough to gain her attention. After much hassle, she came across a familiar book, one that had been her favourite since childhood. Her lips immediately pulled into a loving smile. It's dusty, brown, leathery cover made her reminisce the beautiful past, as her fingers traced the edges of the old exterior fondly.

_Kredeya and Hornett_.

Despite the memories it brought back as her skin gently rubbed against the rugged exterior, she nonetheless continued smiling, her eyes transfixed on the title. Her mother would read this book to her, over and over again and she could never get tired of it. Its story had become a part of her. An enthralling, heroic tale of an enigmatic young girl who had befriended a convicted prisoner, by all means ignoring who he was or how depraved he was thought to be. _Only_ _because she knew him like none other did, _her mother had had admired the girl's worthwhile spirit, her willingness to believe that everyone should be forgiven. That everyone had a little good in them somewhere, no matter the fluctuation in personality as time went by. No, she wasn't naïve at all. She was above and beyond _wise. And forgiving. _

_Like none other, _Seraphina thought to herself, smiling with admiration and pure awe.

She spent an interminable amount of time just holding it, staring at it mesmerizingly. It seemed this library had every type of book present. She hadn't even gone through the shelves on the opposite yet, and they stood awaiting her. But her mind was locked on the old text in her hands, nearly decrepit and destroyed in its condition.

She just _had _to read it. At least once.

Seraphina contentedly walked over to the majestic throne-like chair that had caught her eye, delighted to have had found something worth reading. Leaning back against the thick wooden frame, she began reading the book pleasurably, turning page after page, completely lost with interest.

She didn't even realize the amount of time that had drifted by whilst being completely engrossed in the text in hand. Her eyelids slowly began to close, as they hung above her eyes like a burden. Despite having had a copious amount of sleep beforehand, she felt absolutely drained. Inadvertently, her eyes began to shut out any light coming in, leaving Seraphina to quietly capitulate to the sleepy feeling that overpowered her and promptly doze off.

Silence seeped in. Only Seraphina's faint breathing disordered an otherwise solid streamline of absolute tranquillity.

The rest of the mansion was equally silent. The occasional howl of the winds from outside provided the necessary sounds to evade the illness of mute. There never really was any bustle in the mansion. Whether day or night, most of the halls, though thoroughly and extravagantly decorated, remained empty and soundless. Waiting for movement. Aching for any reverberation.

After all, the only inhabitants were Niklaus and Elijah, along with a few servants. Most of the rooms down the hall of Seraphina's bedroom were bare, completely vacant of any sign that someone stayed in them. With all the life that barely stirred, there was no life at all.

In all its majestic glory, the mansion was a lonely one.

With all the time that had passed, he thought she had probably retired to her room. But when a maid informed she wasn't there, he surprisingly wondered where in fact she was.

When Niklaus didn't find her lingering about anywhere else, he no doubt figured it had to be the library. She was surely there, reading the many books one by one, no intention of leaving. He imagined her to be walking about, picking out dozens of books here and there. His steps immediately terminated the moment he walked into the dimly lit room, sacked full of all sorts of knowledge.

To say he was genuinely surprised was probably an understatement.

Her sleeping body was perched onto his favourite wooden chair, sound asleep like she was positively exhausted, both physically and mentally. Books lay sprawled on the table, some open and some closed. One in particular lay on her lap, but he gave no attention to the title. He quietly walked over to where she was; half smiling at her soft breathing that came out in delicate huffs.

Without further thinking, he swiftly took her into his arms, standing for a moment to properly look at her.

Pitch black tresses trailed down to just above her waist. In contrast to the dark colour of her hair, her beautiful, slightly tanned coffee-like complexion radiated with youthfulness and beauty. Her plump, rosy lips were faintly open as she slowly breathed. She looked like a sleeping beauty, the way her head automatically nuzzled deep into his chest and her arms limp by her sides, she seemed in peace.

But her expression suggested otherwise. It was solemn. She looked broken. Beaten. Like she had cried till she could cry no longer.

Softly, yet firmly, he grasped onto her body and carried her up the ancient stairs to her room. He carefully placed her on the bed, gently wrapping the covers around her. Without giving her a second glance, Niklaus slowly walked over to the fireplace, standing inordinately close to the smouldering flames. His eyes remained locked on the dancing flames, as they flared up fiercely. One by one they pirouetted, dimly lighting up the room as the shadows swayed along with them. Niklaus didn't move an inch, ignoring the increasing warmth on his face. Resting an arm on the mantelpiece, he remained focused on the ferocious flames blazing back at him with intense luridness.

Behind him, he heard her faint rhythmic breaths as they escaped quietly. Now and then a small whimper would escape her lips, causing her to softly tousle and turn, clutching the sheets as tightly as she could. He remained where he was, knowing the distressing sounds would eventually die down. And also because, his mind was in fact somewhere else.

He still hadn't found a use for her.

It really wasn't a thing a fret over. Despite the little dilemma, he was surely going to keep her here. He wasn't quite willing to let her go.

His mind skimmed through possibilities. Some of which, he knew, would monumentally irritate Elijah. But that didn't matter. He always got what he desired. No one dared question him.

His train of thought was disturbed from her increased breathing. They levelled out, becoming more prominent. He didn't have to turn around to know she was fully awake. His eyes remained lost in the scorching inferno, following their every path.

He traced her soft, rhythmic breathing with his ears, smirking simultaneously. Even by following the rhythm of her breaths, one could easily presume the extent of her fragility. So delicate she was.

Seraphina could feel every bone in her body twinge in pain as she tried to lift herself up in vain. What was that? With much struggle, she finally was able to sit herself upright, against the headboard. She looked around, positively bemused. She understood little even when his frame came into view. Standing quietly, Niklaus stared at the moving flames. Not once did he look towards her. But she knew he was aware that she was awake.

Still groggy, she raised her voice to question him. He cut her off. "You're awake", he stated quite curtly, still engrossed in the flames.

She readjusted herself more comfortably on the bed, not once taking her eyes off of him. She kept looking at him cautiously, even when he turned around to face her.

The only light in the room came from the flashing flames of fire. It illuminated his face, revealing his striking features. His perfect fair skin glowed to a light golden colour as the bright flames accentuated his handsome visage flawlessly. The mere sight of him was breathtaking.

She tried not to stare, nonetheless dumbfounded. He was truly a sight to behold.

All the staggered stares immediately stopped though, when his piercing blue-green eyes met her ebony ones.

There they were. Those emotionless eyes staring back at her, with an intensity that tore her apart. She held his gaze for some moments, taking the opportunity to study him, trying to detect any sudden change in expression. Nothing. Her attempt had been futile; his eyes remained emotionless, as did his entire face. Either he was exceptionally good at it, or he truly was incapable of feeling. Time had done well to damage his humanity. Or possibly, destroyed it altogether?

She shivered at the last thought, awkwardly breaking her gaze from his, wishing with all her might that it wasn't true. Her eyes travelled somewhere else, looking at nothing in particular, definitely aiming to avoid his penetrating blue-green ones.

"I fell asleep, didn't I?" she blurted out. She breathed in deeply, rubbing her palms together frustratingly, realizing that she _had_ in fact dozed off. _And then _he_ brought me here._

Niklaus didn't answer right away. Instead, he continued looking in her direction. He was more concentrated on how his attention to her seemed to arouse discomfort in her. It amused him, as she continued to focus on nothing at all, adamant to somehow evade his intense gaze. It was then that his fascination with the blistering inferno behind him subsided. Quietly walking towards the large windows, leaning one side of his body onto the thick wall beside him, he set his observations to the vast countryside. He stood there for a minute or two, eyes locked on the landscape on the other side of the glass.

Seraphina decided to glance towards him, seeing that his attention was somewhere else. He looked deep in thought; by whatever was outside that was intriguing enough. Thinking he wouldn't reply, she tiredly closed her eyes. It positively stung, like they'd never been closed. Silence and blackness enveloped her, forgetting he was present.

She almost felt composed. But alas, her trance was interrupted by his soft, melodic voice rising in her head. "I would think you'd be up all night," Her eyes jerked open, turning to meet his twinkling gaze, "What with all those books lying about." Slightly smirking, he cocked his head to stare directly into her black, sterling eyes.

Seraphina thought back to her desperate attempt to distract herself. Sure, there had been many books. And all those she had gone through were probably brilliant themselves. But none seemed to possess the relieving magic like that one did. Everything about it was serene and familiar. It would always bring a loving smile to her face, warming her shattered soul automatically, effortlessly.

"There were many, but only one caught my eye."

Unknowingly, she innocently smiled at him, weakly. It slowly ebbed into a despondent frown, as he continued to look straight into her doleful eyes. Her voice wobbled now, hardly able to continue without getting caught mid-sentence. "My mother," She painfully closed her eyes and let out a dejected sigh, nonetheless trying to hide the wretchedness that mounded in her, "She would read it to me as often as I liked."

That was all she could get out without choking to bits.

Crawling up to hug her knees, she tilted her head down, hair falling all over her face. Every inch of her felt massively tattered from inside. She wished she could control herself, but her efforts were all in vain. How had she suddenly become so _weak_? She felt every part of her melt away in burning agony as white-hot tears trailed down her soft cheeks. This had to end. When would it end? The less she thought of them, the more they seemed to invade her mind and torture her with their cold-blooded deaths. The memory of that day crept in insidiously, yet again without warning.

Their bodies torn apart savagely. Drained completely of blood. Left to decay and fester, while she was taken against her will. Her eyes burned with throbbing pain.

She had loved them. All of them, with every inch of her untainted heart. Their untimely deaths had struck her far more potently than lighting would have. Such had been their disastrous fate.

Without comprehending, he knew she had buried her face to hide her tears. A strange desire in him evoked to dry them away, like he had done the past night. It irritated him, hearing her voice break with pain and sorrow, all because of love. But he stood where he was, listening intently to her soft, miserable sobs. For some time, she silently cried away and he stood patiently, letting her cry her heart out.

Seraphina quietly wept away till her eyes ran out of water. They completely drained, sore from every angle. She sniffed, lifting her head up to reveal tear-stained cheeks, still staring at nothing at all for an interminable amount of time.

"You loved them." She heard him say. It made her cringe. Something in that statement made her wonder whether that emotion was considered unpalatable to him.

Seraphina turned to look at him with fiery eyes, not even attempting to conceal the mixed emotions of hatred, anger and distress flaring up in her eyes. "They were my family, Niklaus," she spoke softly but defensively, knowing it wouldn't matter at all though, now that they were indelibly gone. "But I suppose that made no difference," she breathed out dejectedly as a last tear slipped away, "He spared none. Slaughtered them all. Like they were nothing."

Niklaus sighed whilst rubbing his fingers together. He had a tinge of sympathy somewhere in him for her tragic fate. But it died away the moment it arrived. Nonetheless, his emotionless eyes searched hers, deeply scrutinizing. Nothing but infinite sorrow.

"You mustn't expect anything less from a vampire, my dear," he softly replied.

It hit her like a nail on the head.

He was right. There was absolutely _nothing _redeemable she could expect from a vampire. They were creatures with no humanity. It was in their nature to hunt savagely, to tear apart their prey and feed on them yearningly. What else could she imagine, besides hunger and lust? It was the ultimate, undeniable definition of what a vampire was. There was nothing more.

Now she was one too. That single fact continuously mortified her. He had turned her into the very thing that had been the cause of the demise of her entire family.

And it haunted her every second of this eternal life.

She lifted her eyes to find him looking at her with such intrigue. For a moment, she felt him understand what she had been through. His soulless eyes provided no sufficient evidence, but she could feel it in the way he looked at her. It was as if he held similar memories that by all means he wanted obscured. Without a second thought, she silently slipped out of her soft bed and made her way up to him, not once breaking their gaze. She stood right beside him, mere inches away, carefully watching him. She felt any remaining warmth in her effectively wash away, as the distance lessened between those cold, enigmatic blue-green eyes.

At one point, she so desperately wanted to bring the light in them again. They seemed so devoid of it. Pressing her lips softly, she turned to fix her look on the midnight countryside. The lurid moon flashed its light all over the surface of the broad lands.

"Why did you save me?" she heard herself whisper in question.

His eyes wandered over her face, mutely sketching it in utter fascination. This girl was truly something. "You would rather I left you with him?" he replied indifferently, equally curious. She caught a hint of questioning amusement in his smooth, velvety voice.

She made no reply, simply standing beside him, mutely. She was ever grateful to be free from that barbaric monster's reach, but now, she couldn't help but ponder on Niklaus' intentions.

When she made no effort to reply, Niklaus lifted his hand to softly fondle her cheek, making her turn all her attention to him. Pouring all her attention into those mesmerising blue-green eyes, she felt herself weaken from his touch.

"You certainly were audacious to put your trust in a man you did not know at all."

Her eyes flashed a look of defiance. She hadn't had any other choice other than to blindly trust him. Had she not have taken such an intrepid step, who knew where she would be right now and in what condition.

"I knew of you," she now softly replied, "And your family. He had mentioned to me about them." Her eyes lit up with a sudden realisation and she questioningly looked at him.

"Your family. Are they here, with you?"

Niklaus felt himself stiffen upon the mentioning of his family. They hadn't crossed his mind for decades. His eyes met Seraphina's innocent curious ones. Clenching his jaw with displeasure, he replied in an acrid tone that immensely disturbed her. "They...are not here."

She shifted uncomfortably from his reply, suddenly regretting asking him at all. His voice ebbed to a more natural tone now, as he slightly smirked at her, all evidence of distaste cleared from his emotionless face. "I live here with my brother, Elijah."

Seraphina simply nodded in understanding. He had a family, one that he absolutely detested. She silently wondered what had happened for him to react to their mentioning with such abhorrence and hatred.

"It would be best for him, Seraphina," he continued with a long sigh, ignoring how she slightly jumped at the mention of her name from his mouth, "That he did not know of Durandus' involvement in your plight."

She stared at him awkwardly. Her puzzlement seemed to have no effect on him. Detaching his hand from her cheek, he walked over to the marble mantelpiece above the fireplace and picked up a necklace with a glimmering stone that fitted into an antique iron setting. Walking over to Seraphina, thumb grazing over the smooth texture of the stone, he motioned for her to turn around. Seraphina silently did as she was told, lifting her hair to allow him to clasp the necklace around her neck with ease.

She turned around, examining the beautiful stone with her delicate fingers, looking up at him questioningly. "Lapis Lazuli. It will protect you from the sun," he stated staidly. He watched her continue to look at it, mesmerized with its beauty. "It's beautiful Niklaus," she whispered, almost smiling, with complete awe.

He smirked at her mesmerisation. "You may call me Klaus, my dear," his sultry voice formed in her head. "Klaus," she warmly replied with contentment. "It's truly beautiful." Unknowingly, she yawned with exhaustion, earning a slight chuckle from Niklaus.

"You really must go to sleep."

Seraphina only nodded and compliantly walked over to her soft bed, snuggling into the covers as quickly as she could. She could hear him shuffle around the windows, blowing out candles that illuminated unnecessary light, before quietly sauntering towards the door. Peering through the soft, silk sheets, Seraphina heard her voice whisper out his name.

"Klaus?"

He stopped in his tracks to gracefully veer and look at her. Her sleepy eyes were half open, yet she focused completely on him. Ebony eyes met his piercing blue-green ones. They held an emotion he hadn't seen in tremendously long.

_Gratitude._

"Thank you," she whispered quietly, with pure recognition. A small smile formed on her rosy lips, as she looked up at him innocently through layers of silk covers.

Klaus did nothing but look at her first, cocking his head to look straight into her black, soulful eyes, eventually a small smirk forming on his lips. Her bottomless eyes had found gratitude in his actions. "Go to sleep my dear," he spoke softly and mesmerizingly, faintly smiling whilst watching her intently on how she reluctantly closed her eyes.

Seraphina found herself wrapping around the remains of his voice, as they caressed every part of her body, encouraging her to sleep. She tightly closed her eyes, remembering how her mother would always kiss her forehead before she would yield to slumber. She imagined lips softly brushing her forehead, contently falling asleep.

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><p>Morning approached almost triumphantly, squirming out of the wrath of the dark and brightly posturing over the entire countryside. It was almost as if the dark of the night had relentlessly gripped onto the light, further delaying its arrival to a drag that was unbearable. The night had seemed endless, but now every inch of golden sunlight touched the earth like a miracle, its sharp rays penetrating through the ancient glass windows, lighting up the tapestry and curtains to a radiant blood red. Seraphina felt the familiar warmth of the sun as it wrapped around her, the silent shining rays that lit up her whole body. Her eyes were still firmly closed as she lay sprawled out on the cosy bed under layers of smooth silk. Ignoring the warm sensation on her cheeks, she buried her head further into the pillows, unable to stop feeling how the gleaming rays of light seemed to pierce right through her and move along her skin, spreading out like an infectious disease in her body.<p>

She felt rejuvenated.

Her usual ice cold anatomy had sparks of sunlight shooting through her veins now. It travelled to every inch of her body, electrocuting her with life. She felt _alive. _

The mere thought of it stung sharply. The sensation of a burden being lifted coursed through her veins, although she wasn't that hopeful or naïve.

There was once a time when the world was a concealed treasure to her, waiting to be discovered and opened. Everything was simple and concise. Flawless beauty greeted her wherever she looked. Her world was filled with all the pretty colours and scents one could imagine.

She hadn't ever witnessed pain and suffering to an extended degree. If anyone was in need of her help she wouldn't hesitate, but the thought of inflicting pain had always intrigued her. Maybe it was her gullibility which blinded her eyes from the scorching truth of reality. Her mother would warn her about the dangers of the world, that some people and some things were able to deceive the eye, so it was prudent to remain sharp and acute. She was no doubt shrewd that way, it wasn't difficult for her to tell whether someone told the truth or not. What she'd personally always wonder, was how anyone could sadistically inflict pain on others and not feel anything at all. In her mind, no one was capable of being that inhuman without reason, but oh had she been proven wrong. Some people, she realized, were sadistic and cruel because they chose to be.

They were not _people_ at all.

Seraphina frustratingly opened her eyes, batting them a few times to wash away the bleariness. It was still difficult keeping them closed, when all she could see was their lifeless faces staring back at her. Seeing her family slaughtered was one thing, but being held captive and tortured continuously by their murderer was another. A new light dawned upon her as she came to understand was true suffering was, and enduring it was even worse.

But her fears had melted away. Finally, after so long, she felt herself being able to breathe steadily. The perturbing thoughts of what she was to face every day had vanished the moment she had been released from Durandus' deathly grip.

It startled her when the name didn't send chills down her spine. She would've felt her body turn rigid at the mention of his name, but she felt no such thing. All that fuelled in her was absolute hatred. Simple, pure, hatred. And a burning desire to avenge her family's death. Her eyes began to water, but she swallowed the tears before they could stain her cheeks. Somehow, crying made her feel weak and helpless. After all this time, those were two things that she certainly didn't want to feel, no matter what. She had to be strong. For them.

Hesitantly, she pushed herself out of bed and decided to escape the bright shining lights that excessively spilled in to fill her entire room. Her Lapis Lazuli necklace glittered beautifully in the sunlight as she walked over to the large wooden door, hastily exiting her room.

She hadn't even moved a few inches from the doorframe to enter the long, narrow hall, when she felt herself colliding into another being. Her body jolted with immediate pain as she simultaneously bent down, squinting her eyes with displeasure, trying to suppress the hit by rubbing her joints. Curiously looking up to see who she had bumped into, she met the half apologetic and half surprised eyes of an unfamiliar man.

His deep, chocolate brown eyes radiated a type of warmth she hadn't seen in Klaus. Instead, compared to Klaus, this man looked relatively kind, reflecting a kindred spirit that she had longed to see for so long.

He paused to politely smile at her, whilst helping to lift her up. "My apologies. Did I injure you?" His warm brown eyes revealed true concern, as he studied her with immediate fascination.

Seraphina politely returned the smile, "No, I'm alright. Thank you."

He seemed to strangely lull into an inability to reply. She perplexedly looked at him when he didn't immediately reply. Instead, quietly, he assessed her, taking in a long moment to register her presence in his mind, completely unaware of how she waited for him to speak.

"You must be the guest Niklaus brought with him last night," his eyes twinkled with innocence, finally realizing it was indeed her.

Seraphina nodded respectfully, raising her little hand to place it into his firm, masculine one. He gracefully kissed it and looked at her expectantly. "What is your lovely name?"

"Seraphina."

He smiled approvingly, looking at her with complete warmth shining in his eyes. They were soulful, crowded with youth and innocence. Seraphina couldn't help but smile to herself. He seemed so different from Klaus. Kindness seemed to emanate from every inch of his form, nothing like the emotionless mask that Klaus wore.

"My pleasure Seraphina." His untainted brown eyes sparkled with pure warmth as he smiled courteously.

"May I introduce you to myself," he politely offered with pure etiquette, "As Lord Elijah."

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><p><strong>REVIEWS WOULD BE MUCH LOVED. <strong>

**And look at that: We've reached to 30! ONLY 10 MORE AND WE REACH 40! So keep jamming those reviews up! I wanna know what you guys are thinking!**

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**Sorry again for the gap in between. Next chapter will be up VERY soon! PROMISE!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the late update everyone. I've recently been held up by other things which further delayed this story, mainly school and schoolwork, so it took me a while to get back on track. But no worries. I'm not going to randomly abandon Eternally Bound, because it's my main focus. My other story (Facebook Freaks) however, is most probably on hiatus. Sorry guys, I will get back to it, but not now. :(**

**So ~EB~. There's a lot to cover and I want to build up this story in the most perfect way. I want to be absolutely content with every chapter before I post it. So it would mean everything to me if you would get back to me by reviewing it with all your thoughts and/or suggestions. It takes less than a minute to write down what you think, good or bad, so I'd really appreciate it! :) **

**Xoxo.**

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><p><strong>~Eternally Bound~<strong>

_Previously:_

_Softly, yet firmly, he grasped onto her body and carried her up the ancient stairs to her room. He carefully placed her on the bed, gently wrapping the covers around her. Without giving her a second glance, Niklaus slowly walked over to the fireplace, standing inordinately close to the smouldering flames. _

_Time had done well to damage his humanity. Or possibly, destroyed it altogether?_

_"You mustn't expect anything less from a vampire, my dear," he softly replied._

_He was right. There was absolutely __nothing __redeemable she could expect from a vampire. They were creatures with no humanity. It was in their nature to hunt savagely, to tear apart their prey and feed on them yearningly. What else could she imagine, besides hunger and lust? It was the ultimate, undeniable definition of what a vampire was. There was nothing more._

_Now she was one too. That single fact continuously mortified her. He had turned her into the very thing that had been the cause of the demise of her entire family. And it haunted her every second of this eternal life._

_"Thank you," she whispered quietly, with pure recognition. A small smile formed on her rosy lips, as she looked up at him innocently through layers of silk covers._

_Klaus did nothing but look at her first, cocking his head to look straight into her black, soulful eyes, eventually a small smirk forming on his lips. Her bottomless eyes had found gratitude in his actions. "Go to sleep my dear," he spoke softly an mesmerizingly, faintly smiling whilst watching her intently on how she reluctantly closed her eyes._

_"May I introduce you to myself," he politely offered with pure etiquette, "As Lord Elijah."_

XXXXX

Chapter 5

Elijah momentarily looked at her; no doubt a thousand questions were forming in his mind. She shifted anxiously, already preparing some obvious answers in her head, contemplating on what to tell and what not to. It was imperative to be precise and not exaggerative.

She remembered Klaus asking her not to reveal her connection to Durandus. Whether that was a thoughtful consideration or a solid order, it didn't matter as much. Ultimately, it disturbed her as to why not. What good what it do to conceal something as momentous and foremost as this? And from his own brother? Deep in thought, her mind sorted everything out, various questions popping up like popcorn. It nervously skimmed through, making endless decisions quite rashly, much to her displeasure.

"How has your stay been, Seraphina?"

She looked up to see questioning eyes looking back at her. For a few moments her mouth seemed unable to release any sound, it was as if every muscle in her body was screeching and pulling her back with such force, adamant that she'd not disclose anything that would get her in any trouble.

There was the fearful possibility of a chaotic outcome of all of this. The extent of caution building up inside startled her greatly.

"Pleasant," she replied, smiling humbly, unable to come up with anything more suitable. Her mind felt cracked and empty. Veins shriveled and shut down. Blood clogging and molding into massive weighty balls here and there. She smiled, convincingly.

Pleasant. It was true, after all. She felt secure in this mansion, its wrought iron gates sealing her protectively from her treacherous fears. She was provided with everything she needed, at times even more. It _was _a radical, commodious change no doubt.

Pleasant.

"I do hope it is," he replied sincerely, with a slight smile. The twinkles in his eyes danced ceaselessly, shining brighter and brighter as words flowed from his mouth, ever so eloquently.

"I was informed of your arrival by Niklaus. Although I'm afraid he will not return before dusk, you are nonetheless welcome to go anywhere you like. I'm sure-"

She could see his lips moving. Words surging out but unable to reach her, as if her mind had done the undutiful and blocked the very chance. His voice faded away into a distant slur. Every second passed, and the reverberation of his words slowly waned. She could sense his body's rhythmic humming turn rigid and vigilant. Even his obvious motions seemed foreign, her attention now hooked on her burning forehead, as it began throbbing mercilessly. What felt like minor pain escalated into absolute skin-splitting torment. She lifted her palm to clutch her forehead rather tightly from sheer desperation, then pressing both hands on either side of her head to dim the stabbing discomfort. She felt Elijah nearing towards her in confusion and just before she willed herself to respond to _anything_, the piercing agony streamed right out of her, leaving her dazed but painless, as if it had never entered at all.

She slowly backed away, massaging her forehead with utter bewilderment, looking up to meet Elijah's puzzled eyes. Sighing heavily, she realized this would be one of many things yet to come for which she would have to explain.

"Forgive me, I" she shakily caught a breath, straightening her pose, "I- don't quite know what just happened."

Still balancing herself with uncertainty, she tiredly looked up at him, part of her immensely embarrassed to have been seen so vulnerable. And that by a man. But then again, she couldn't remember the last time she _hadn't _been vulnerable since being turned. It disgusted her how, although she detested being a vampire, she had inherited none of their commendable strengths. Nothing to switch off her inner battling torment or shove aside the part of her that bled with guilt and remorse. _Tougher as a human, _she thought, smiling wistfully.

Elijah, equally unaware of what had struck her, glanced at her forehead. Seconds ago, it had been scorching with heat, flashing with redder coloured tones. There was no sign of her trauma now, and it had done well to incite a mixture of disturbance and curiosity in him.

"Are you alright now?"

Concern filled his tone. It coursed through his voice. She simply lifted her head and half nodded to him.

He wasn't convinced, warm brown eyes shifting with various emotions pertaining to her pain-induced upheaval. "Perhaps some fresh air would be advisable."

Seraphina paused before giving it some thought. She hadn't been in the light of the glazing morning sun for a long time. For the past few weeks her life was a complete drought. Vacant of peace, hope and _light._ The word itself warmed her form throughout as she felt her prolonged thirst being quenched with one small suggestion. She needed it. That was all.

"Yes."

He probably wouldn't have heard her had he been human. Her voice echoed through his ears, a thin ghost of a whisper. Tired, but not defeated. Hurting but not yet completely shattered. Pained, but persevering.

Smiling politely he turned gracefully to lead the way, Seraphina following him from behind silently.

Along the ancient wooden stairs, Seraphina's hand lightly grazed on the surface of the banister, as she trailed downwards step by step. Past the glorious library, with its numerous books. Around the corner, leading to a medium-sized hallway, beautiful paintings hanging on each side. And through the backdoors that opened majestically to reveal endless patches of rich green just a step away. Sunlight burst through, as if frantically trying to cover up as much visible ground as possible, like a ravenous animal.

She stared in wonder.

The blinding light shining back at her invitingly. It felt like a miracle. The way the elegantly stitched carpet beneath her warmed up, stimulating a tingling sensation in her toes even with sandals on. The way the light and heat splashed onto her entire form sending her back into blissful nostalgia. The way it still felt the same, like nothing had changed. The sun was as youthful and bright as it had been on those many days she had spent frolicking in the meadows and forests of her home.

It smiled, remembering the beautiful innocence as it had swayed along. Jet black tresses glistening in its light. Her irresistible smile, the beautiful glow of her soft, tanned skin. _A long lost friend. Where had she gone?_

Seraphina would have greeted her ever-so-bright, shining acquaintance had it not had been her bolting reluctance. Nervously clutching the sides of her dress with sweaty hands, she noticed the crystal embedded in her necklace. Its deep blue colour reflected different shades of light as rays swept in from one facet and out from another.

She hesitantly stared at the sparkling crystal in wonder as it effervescently flickered, but realized quickly enough that she too was standing in a favourable position for the incoming rays of sunlight. Instead of the dangerous, putrid smell of burning flesh, she was welcomed with the gentle splash of fresh sunlight-filled air. Her skin glowed luminously, as if all the darkness enveloped inside of her was lifting, slowly, but nonetheless peeling away. Layer by layer.

She closed her eyes numbly, every drop of thankfulness emitting from her soul and directing itself everywhere to everyone; God _if he truly did exist,_ her valiant mother, the kind maids, Elijah. And most importantly Klaus.

Maybe she was being excessively doubtful, of everyone, of everything. But it was all in her right to feel wary over the slightest disturbance or misunderstanding. All that time spent being someone's prisoner, someone's ornament for pleasure, had done well to reestablish fears she had long before overcome, and induce new ones too.

Any thoughts of reluctance or foreboding washed away though, as she eagerly stepped outside. Her mind felt clear and free as she spirited along the soft green grass, spiraling along the rays of her beloved.

The sun was no less enthusiastic. It welcomed her warmly, showering bright light all around her, incessantly. _Here she was, right here, once again._

Igniting fire in abrupt darkness. Placating her ambivalence. Ensuring her, that nothing and no one would do her harm ever again. Smearing her fears with the notion of _tomorrow._ Not now. _Stay. Stay with me. Stay and enjoy and bask in my soothing light. Stay Seraphina, all will heal. Time will pause, cease to exist. Stay forever. With me._

Elijah noticed the sharp change in her demeanour, from hopeless to hopeful. Dark to light, as he watched her savour every delightful moment of daylight. It made him silently wonder exactly what she had been through before being brought here. Klaus had said he had saved her from her 'plight' and, frustratingly, only Klaus knew precisely what that meant. Looking towards the embodiment of innocence, he couldn't stress how much it bothered him to wonder how someone, _anyone,_ could deliberately hurt a person like her. Not only because she seemed incapable of hurting _anything, _but more on the fact that he couldn't imagine inflicting pain on her without feeling guilty about it. One couldn't hurt her without hurting themselves. Her delicate purity was fascinating and simultaneously disastrous.

Her poetic virtue seemed surreal, but it was there.

She turned to look at him, a faint smile crawling on her lips. The warm England wind wafted around gently, entangling her hair along with it. She slightly blushed, trying to get a hold of her tresses as they fluttered about in the wind, fruitlessly. Giving in to the playfully pugnacious wind, she walked over to Elijah's side, lifting her head to meet his riveted eyes.

He tactfully gestured towards the south of the garden, where a single rocky bench stood by itself. A low wall of stone lined behind it, just a few feet away. Cherry and maple trees boldly sprouted out from the edges of the stone wall, gazing towards the turquoise blue sky. Hedges and shrubs were plastered on the high brick walls that acted as surreptitious boundaries from the outside world. They sat down contently, Seraphina taking her sandals off to feel the rhythmic movements of the grass brush beneath her feet, Elijah comfortably silent, thoughtfully gazing beyond the brick walls and clear blue sky.

She absentmindedly swayed her feet, faintly rubbing her toes against the raw dirt in a circular fashion.

"I suppose it's been a while since you have eagerly basked in the sunlight," he noted calmly.

Seraphina turned to Elijah, her eyes following his endless gaze. Towards the light sky and even further, if it was possible. They stayed there, fixating upon nothing at all, but nonetheless gazing, in almost reverie.

"I've had better days," she numbly replied. The second those words came out, she regretted it altogether. It sounded broken and tired. Most importantly, it sounded pitiful on all accounts. She had promised herself she wouldn't dwell on the past. What was there was there and couldn't be changed. No matter how much she wanted to. No matter that she would truly do anything to change it.

He turned to look at her, assessing her crumbliness, immediately sensing her frustration. Soft sympathy cumulating into his impassive expression.

She lifted her head, sighed. "I wish it wasn't so." Feet gently moving against the swaying grass. "Feels like a dream."

Her voice croaked now as she felt words escaping.

"And I want out of it."

Elijah silently concentrated on the tired expressions slowly forming on her face.

"Certainly all is better, since you are no longer in peril," he replied thoughtfully, truly feeling for her, despite knowing nothing at all.

She continued to stare at the ground. He patiently waited for an answer, carefully observing the delicate movement of her toes tracing the dirt, as if to mark her presence there. She still seemed lightly bewildered by whatever events had occurred. How her eyes deceivingly stared at the dirt, but truly, she was lost in her own world. Sombrely caught between present and past. In its little overlaps of memories and remembrances, crashing into the real world, blinding the victim from seeing reality by drawing its sinisterly seductive curtain. Lost.

Physically present. Mentally absent.

"No," she managed to get out quietly.

He turned to look at her.

"I've lost everything."

She was caught between the unbinding layers of thoughts and memories, spreading to every inch of her mind like an unrelenting liquid of strong viscosity. She quietly fought the overpowering feeling, although deep inside, wanted to surrender in its clutches. Wanted to forget reality and seep into her private world. Her thoughts enveloping her, taking control, steering her attention to various destinations, ridding the unwanted presence of reality.

For a moment Elijah simply studied her.

Pain. So much of it. Void of hope. And was that, _remorse_?

Her lips twitched, as if aching to speak more.

"I suppose I should always have this on," she stated abruptly, holding the necklace between fore finger and thumb and eyeing it with grace, "unless I want to burst into flames like a fire cracker."

Smirking, she gazed at the object, rubbing her fingers over the smooth texture, her smirk slowly ebbing into a light smile. Elijah felt his lips curl into a soft smile. Her attempt at humouring herself hadn't been successful. Yet it afforded her seconds of a smile.

A beautiful one.

"I advise you to do no such thing. It will protect you for as long as you live, or intend to," He played along, his own light humour warming the distance between them. Seraphina felt more relaxed now. She stretched her legs and squinted up towards the sun, its bright light warmly reaching everything in its path.

"Does it protect you?"

He nodded. "We have rings, they are just the same."

She questioningly looked at him, and then fixated her eyes on his ring.

Her voice lifted softly, void of any humour. Instead, her faint whisper had all the distress in the world caged into it.

"We truly are damned, aren't we?" she commented quietly, ignoring his reaction, ignoring his existence altogether, ignoring the tears that built up in her somber eyes, threatening to escape and leave trails of stains on her cheeks.

Elijah felt himself stiffen at the revelation. As if he hadn't figured it out. They were. Most probably, or most definitely. They _all _were. A huge wave of empathy washed over him as her words rang in his ears for quite some time. They would probably remain embedded inside for the rest of his existence.

She turned to look at the landscape, not wanting an answer because it was so obvious what the answer was. Yet at the same time, she patiently waiting for him to raise his voice. To make a sound, to answer her. To say something.

Anything.

"I would hardly say that we are damned," he responded softly, "Some atleast. Since they have no choice given to them, and they live with that burden until the end of time."

"Why not destroy themselves?" she asked, with immediate curiousity.

Elijah hesitated. If only she knew that some were unfortunate. He nonetheless admired her willingness to rid it away from herself, even if it would cost her life.

"It can be difficult for some," he simply replied.

Seraphina only nodded, seeming understanding the fact that suicide was impossibly difficult, even for a vampire. Very few encompassed the strength and fearlessness to overcome the tension in such a situation. Taking another life was hard enough; the guilt and shame that followed were almost unbearable. But taking one's own life was entirely incomprehensible. Shutting yourself out, denying yourself of anything that you deserved wanted or needed. A true sin on oneself.

"Do you really believe destroying oneself is the answer?" he asked, with somewhat disbelief.

Seraphina turned her attention to him, surprised from his question, but she didn't show it. "I do." She replied numbly, looking at him straight in the eye with her doleful black ones, shrugging, "I would rather have died with the rest of my family than become what I am now."

Elijah sensed a feeling of disgust clouding inside her. Disgust for what she was. And that she truly was alone. Shock and sympathy mounded inside of him, piling like bricks.

"…Your entire family?"

She didn't look at him, staring at her hands that fiddled in her lap. Eventually her head softly bobbed up and down, nodding reluctantly. It was then she felt a stronger, more firm hand place itself over hers, as if draping the memory of her dead family away, tucking it somewhere safe, but somewhere unknown so she couldn't reach it.

She refrained from crying, instead felt the light gusts of wind flowing about her, her thick black tresses flowing along with it.

"How did Niklaus find you then?" he asked somewhat worriedly. Seraphina couldn't contemplate on whether it was worry on his behalf for her, or something entirely else.

"I ran into him whilst escaping from that monstrous captor," her eyes held that look again, lost and somber, "Quite the luck I have," she commented placidly.

Elijah listened on with utter disbelief.

"He saved me." She half smiled.

_I saved her, _he had said. Any disposed thoughts of foreshadowing had yet again reached the surface. Both had mentioned that Seraphina had been 'saved'. He couldn't think of a reason as to why Klaus would want to hurt her. And in case that was an inevitable cause, he would see to it that no harm would be inflicted on her.

He silently kept his restraint in order, refraining from mentioning anything that would worry her; especially when it came to Klaus' intentions, where circulations were bound to occur. This girl deserved no more that she had already endured.

"Well, you should know that you are welcome to stay here as long as you like," he tactfully replied, "you are safe here, Seraphina."

She nodded absentmindedly. "I suppose I am." Her eyes met his with a gratifying recognition. "Thank you."

Leaves fluttered above their heads, floating like feathers in the turquoise of the sky. Seraphina stared in awe. Such peace. It was all she had wanted. And her family too.

She faintly remembered Klaus' hateful response on the mention of his. "What happened to your family?"

Elijah momentarily paused, remembering the last time he had properly seen them. It had been a blissful moment, compared to the tragedy that had entailed afterwards. It seems everything had slowly begun to shatter, without anyone noticing. The love and harmony between them had corroded away like the surface of a weak, penetrable rock. What were left were remnants of a time that now seemed as if it had never existed.

Too painful to dig back into.

He pressed his lips together in slight sorrow.

"We all were turned at the same time. It seems we could have remained together and kept our love intact. But," he paused before mentioning the words that still made him choke, "certain _differences_ conquered over that love. It induced painful and regretful events. And as much as some of us tried to prevent anyone from straying, that was exactly what happened."

Seraphina silently listened to the distressing tale. Elijah's despondency couldn't be hidden; it was a part of his story. And as lifeless as he seemed, she could sense that it was because of the sorrow that he had gone to build an armor of protection against any emotion. His restraint was unbelievable. She truly admired him for it.

"After a certain chaotic outcome, Niklaus and I left together, splitting from our family, in search of anything but. We've been together since that day." He softly smiled, lovingly.

"You love him so dearly," Seraphina observed with a warm smile of her own.

Elijah chuckled. "Indeed. Although I must say he can take a good advantage of it when he desires. I had other brothers too, of course. We were five. I loved them equally, but Niklaus," he mentioned the name with such love, as the love of a mother for her child, "we were each other's favourites, still are."

Seraphina felt her mouth curl into an irresistible smile, marveling at the love of a brother for his brother.

"What were their names?" she softly asked, completely absorbed into his life tale.

He turned towards her, eyes twinkling with question, smiling at her innocent interest. She was so engrossed in the history of his life. However, he hadn't even mentioned the eventual outcomes in detail. It would surely break her heart. Nothing about it sweet and innocent. Just a mass of betrayal, lies and deceit. One that would remain etched in their hearts for an interminable amount of time.

Seraphina immediately deciphered his thoughts as a meaning to pry, blushing slightly, nonetheless eager to know. It was undeniably interesting, listening to him tell her his tale. It came from a whole other perspective.

She simply waited for him to continue.

"There was Gabriel, Alexander, Durandus, my two sisters Anna and Enaya and Niklaus" he briefly fell deep into thought before continuing, "Niklaus never really got along with any of the others, especially Duran. It was a shame. He was a good brother." His face fell at the thought of Durandus never being understood by Niklaus. A part of him wanted to find his beloved brother and reunite him with Niklaus and himself.

Who knew where he was.

Seraphina gaped in astonishment, suddenly realizing why Klaus had asked her not to mention Durandus to Elijah. Her spine stiffened unmercifully, at the mention of his name. Her body momentarily shivered as she was once again reminded of the name of the monster who had taken everything from her.

It was so difficult concealing the truth, but now she had no choice but to do it. Seeing Elijah profess his love for his siblings which included her vicious captor had torn her apart. She couldn't just blurt out that it was he, his own brother who had done this. Not only would it anger Klaus, but further torture the wound that still bled within Elijah. The desire to be with his family. His entire family. And for that reason alone, she chose not to ruin it.

She continued to solemnly look at his expression, while a voice screamed inside of her to reveal the truth. She suppressed it, ignoring any consequences, but refusing to have another life torn into shreds by a mere truth. What good would it do anyway? Her family was dead. So was she, technically. It didn't make sense to hurt another for something they didn't deserve. She would avenge her family.

But not like this.

He turned to look at her and she looked back at him.

Out of nowhere, she spoke.

"I had two sisters and a brother. Cassandra, Callum and Vivienne," she smirked at the thought of the silly little girl. "Vivienne would _always _take my things, and no one ever scolded her for it. I used to fight with her so much because of it," Elijah found himself equally absorbed into her tale and she continued on with grace, "But I know now it's because she wanted to be me. Just like me. And so she'd take my dresses and wear them and smile to herself. I would always become angry with her."

Her expression softened.

"But I never hated her. Not once."

A tear slipped away silently.

"She was my beautiful little sister who wanted to be like just like me. I'll never stop loving her."

"And she'll never stop loving you," he stated calmly.

Elijah's eyes focused on hers, and for the first time, she felt understood. Both of their lives had been torn apart. And both had unfortunately lived to see it move on. It had probably been the same for Klaus, she wondered silently. But he never let on.

Strange.

No doubt visibly different, their personalities were the exact opposite. Seraphina had noticed how their eyes seemed to somewhat conspicuously manifest their true nature. They were like glossy windows, or rather portals, which allowed the looker to transcend to the inside of their souls. Deciphering their identities, she realized how truly contrasting they were. One so cold and distant, his inscrutable eyes reflected centuries of denial and detachedness, all mysteriously enveloped into sharp blue-green colour. But this man. He seemed distinct, in his demeanour, in his actions. His bold, brown eyes were warmer, calmer. They glistened with the light that lacked in Klaus' icy structure. The light she desired to re-ignite in his eyes, because they seemed so devoid of it. Seraphina slightly cocked her head, trying to pull off a reasonably polite smile that by no means would reveal just how painful it was for her. Surprisingly, it worked.

"Elijah?"

Her voice rang like the tender purring of morning bells. Melodic. Angelic. _Beautiful._

"Yes?"

Finally, after much waiting, a tinge of hope sparked inside of him when he saw her face. It was hardly lit up, but nonetheless lit up. Brewing various emotions within it. It was mesmerizing, as if one was studying the incomprehensible beauty of a flower. The beauty was there, there for all to marvel at with wonder, love, envy, happiness, or sadness. What fascinated Elijah was that her beauty was wondrous. Absolutely wondrous. Yet at the same time, it was confusing how someone could hold so much of it and be able control themselves.

Klaus had always despised it. Virtue was like poison to their kind. It would never balance with their identity, and would instead ruin it, sending them onto a "pathless path", where they would neither be accepted by humans or vampires. Impractical.

She seemed to do it flawlessly.

He silently pondered whether that alone was _her _poison, being a virtuous vampire?

She consciously twirled her necklace between delicate fingers, tilting it to observe the light being reflected off of it. Her voice was hopeful. Ignoring the uncertainty and disdain, she spoke.

"It wasn't my choice. It wasn't yours either. Nor was it Klaus'." She caught his gaze, eyes gleaming lightly as if to reassure. "If anything, I hope that counts."

She smiled at him and he smiled back.


	6. Message!

**Alert! Writer's block and other crap hold-up!**

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><p>Hey lovely people!<p>

First of all, extreme-extreme-EXTREME apologies for not updating in SUCH a long time! Like any other writer I'd start listing a bunch of reasons, (some are excuses :/) but I really don't want to. But if you must know, serious family issues, changing schools, getting back on track, finals, blah blah. I ended up giving most of the reasons anyway...

_Anyway, _Eternally Bound! New chapter (6) is almost done, and by almost done I mean ALMOST DONE! It'll be up in a couple of days and then I hope I'll be able to shuffle everything together and make it work smoothly. So, thank you my story-lovers and reviewers (or both) for patiently waiting. I love you all, really. And I love your reviews!

I'm getting there! Never will I give up on ***this*** story! It's epic and I have so much epicness to share, it's literally all swarming in my brain and I already have ideas and outlines for future chapters, keeping with the plot, and LOADS of character development for Seraphina and Klaus that will definitely surprise/shock/excite/amaze you, whatever you pick!

Before I go, (-_-) I want to share a fun fact with the EB people so as to cheer ya'll up :D

ETERNALLY BOUND OFFICIALLY HAS:

**- 5000 Hits, **

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**ASLKDJAKJAJFLKJLKSJGGJKS.**

**Wonderful right? It blew me away!**

So thanks again SO MUCH for your kind patience, it means the world. New chapter will be up in a couple of days!

**xoxoxo take care**

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><p>-NeonBerry<p> 


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